During Christmas there are two cookies that were and still are very much traditional in our house.  Eating isli and kourabiedes. While i have covered the first in a previous article it is time i think to focus on the latter. 

Kourabiedes are cookies that are dived in sugar and because of there white appearance are really popular during Christmas.  When you see them, they may resemble light and airy shortbread, but are made with the addition of almonds. Almonds are the most important ingredient in a Kourabied, and provide the cookie’s signature almond flavor. Other ingredients include large amount of butter, as well as flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, among others.  

In the past few years i always remembered my mother experimenting with kourambiedes and trying to create a less sugary version  of them.

INGREDIENTS FOR KOURABIEDES

• 700gr of flower
• 500gr of butter 
• 2 eggs
• 50gr cognac +20gr mastic
• 1vanilla sticks 
• 100gr powdered sugar
• 140gr of almonds
• 1 spoon of baking soda

For the topping

2 x 200 gr of white chocolate

HOW TO MAKE KOURABIEDES

1. Start by roasting the almonds. Place the roughly chopped almonds on a baking tray and sprinkle with some water. Bake them for 7-8 minutes, until roasted, being careful not to burn them. Set aside or put in the fridge to cool down
2. In the mixer continue by “hitting” the butter with the powdered sugar for 10 minutes until they become cream.
3. Add one by one the eggs, the vanilla and soda. Afterwards, 2-3 spoons of flour so the mixture is ready to accept the cognac. Afterwards, we add the almonds. 
4. Now its time to add the rest of the flour  slowly from the sieve. Continue to mix, until the flour is soaked.  Be careful though not to over do it. 
5. Take slowly and make small -bit flattish- balls of 30gr each. Put them in the oven and bake them on 170c for 20 minutes. 
6. As we bake them, in a small pot, we melt around of 200gr of  white chocolate.